CRDA Announces the 2013 Vacation Ownership ConferenceCRDAThe Canadian Resort Development Association announces the 2013 Vacation Ownership Conference. "VO-CON" will be held in Vancouver, BC on October 22-23. VO-CON's mandate is "Exploring The Business Of Vacations". The event will bring vacation ownership industry executives together for one-and-a-half days of networking and learning. To be profiled as an official sponsor or speaker, please click read more.

B.C. still a buyers' marketCalgary Herald Calgarians love to vacation in beautiful British Columbia, and often an enjoyable trip is a catalyst to look into buying real estate in the province, either for recreational use, investment or future retirement. So what's the market like for real estate right now in B.C.?

A vacation retreat vs. a stock: Which is the better investment?The Globe and MailThis is a great question, but it's tricky to answer because of all the variables at play, including intangibles such as the pride of cottage ownership and the benefits of family time together. But let's put aside the emotional stuff for a moment and crunch some numbers.

Interval International sponsors 2013 Amdetur conferenceInterval NewsInterval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group is a sponsor of the 27th Annual Convention of the Mexican Resort Development Association to be held June 19-21 in Mexico City. The event is themed "The New Era of Tourism: Capitalizing on Vacation Ownership Opportunities."

Owners of Fairmont timeshares face dilemmaCTV NewsMore than 15,000 timeshare holders are being asked to pay thousands of dollars to either renovate the complex or vacate their timeshares in Fairmont, B.C. Tina and Matt Balsom say they were never thrilled with the Sunchaser Vacation Villa they purchased in Fairmont four years ago for $11,000.

Selling a timeshare? Watch out for phony resellersGlobal NewsIf you're trying to unload an old timeshare property, beware of phoney offers.The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says that in the past two years, over 100 people have lost money to timeshare resellers. Police say they claim to have buyers or renters ready to pay top dollar, and trick the owners into paying up-front fees and closing costs. However, the timeshare is never sold or transferred.

Some employers letting workers buy, sell vacation timeCBC NewsWant more time off work to hang out at the beach? Need a little cash and have vacation days to spare? Some companies allow their workers to buy and sell vacation time, a perk that gives workers more flexibility in managing their time off. The novel approach might help employees buy some extra days off to take the trip of a lifetime or spend more time with a newborn. Co-workers could sell off unused days to get some extra money.

World's biggest mall, Ferris wheel planned for VegasCanoe.caPlans are afoot to build a mega-resort that would house the world's largest shopping mall, the world's largest Ferris wheel, sports arenas, theme parks and this time, it's not in the Middle East. Bahamas-based Eurasia Resorts has released details on its next project that will transform 1,200 hectares of space not far off the Las Vegas strip into a mammoth complex that will include 39 boutique hotels.

Hawaiian beach resort joins The Registry CollectionRCI Ventures The Registry Collection, the world's largest luxury exchange program, recently welcomed Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach in Hawaii to its network of affiliated resorts. Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach Wyndham Grand Resort is located on one of the most sought-after locations.

Resorts suffer as beach disappearsVietnam Net In the last couple of decades, rising sea levels and changes to the river flow in the Thu Bon River estuary have resulted in a area of Cua Dai beach eroding away, the head of the city's natural resources and environment office Nguyen Van Hien has claimed. "It's the worst situation of its kind that I've ever seen. The beach is dramatically disappearing. It stretched out 200 meters just 10 years ago, but now it has narrowed to 40 meters. The rest is underwater now," he said.

Unity Trust Bank ups staff stake with new share ownership planThe Business DeskStaff at Unity Trust Bank are to receive share certificates confirming they own a stake in the organization. The bank, one of the U.K.'s leading specialist banks for social economy organizations, said it was aiming to reinforce its social values and its commitment to employees.